Pneumatic release means for gyratory crushers



June 8, 1954 J BJARME 2,680,571

PNEUMATIC RELEASE MEANS FOR GYRATORY CRUSHERS Filed Jan. 28, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JO HAN AL F R ED BJ AR ME gmem HIS ATTORNEY 'ber.

Patented June 8, 1954 PNEUMATIC REL GYRATOR EASE MEANS FOR 1 CRUSHERS Johan Alfred Bjarme, Stockholm, Sweden Application January 28, 1947, Serial No.

In Sweden November 20, 1945 Section 1, Public Law 690,

August a, 1946 Patent expires November 20, 1965 9 Claims.

My invention relates to crushing machines for crushing material, such as ore or stone. More particularly my invention relates to crushing machines comprising a vertical rotatable shaft carrying a lower crushing member which is surrounded by an outer non-rotating crushing mem- Said members have conical crushing surfaces arranged in a spaced relationship, the diameter of the members increasing in a downupper side of the crushing members and is disintegrated while passing downwardly between the same.

It is one object of the invention to provide improved means for securing the vertical position of the outer non-rotating crushing member andon operation of the machine to sustain the vertical pressure acting upon said member. Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for exerting a yielding pressure on the outer crushing member in a downward direction. A further object is to facilitate the removal of any pieces, such as of iron or steel, which become stuck between the crushing members and which stall the rotating crushing member. A still further object is to facilitate adjusting of the space between the crushing sur- Another object is to provide a crushing machine permitting a material to be disintegrated to a finer product than in crushing machines hitherto known.

Further objects and advantages of .the invention will be apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and of which:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional View of a crushing machine embodying my invention; taken on the broken line I-I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a top View of the machine; certain portions being cut away for sake of clearness.

The crusher is equipped with a specially designed Vertical shaft three-phase induction motor with squirrel-cage rotor and standard electric winding, generally designated by ii].

The stator of the motor comprises a cast iron or steel stator housing l2, in which a stator core is is firmly secured. To the stator housing i2 a lower bearing end-shield i6 and an upper lug ring it are secured by axially extending bolts i3. Into a central hole in the lower bearing end-shield i6 is fitted a bearing bushing 29, which is kept in place by bolts 22. On the lower shield I6 is further fixed a terminal box 24 for the stator core 14. Incoming cable 26 and terminal box 24 are placed so, that they are protected from falling stone by one of narrow brackets 23 projecting inwardly from the crusher frame 36 at circumferentially spaced places into an annular space 32 between the stator housing l2 and said frame.

An upper bearing end-shield 3t is protected by a truncated-cone shaped manganese steel Wearing cover 36 and is connected to the lug ring 8 by means of bolts 38. The lug ring it has a small number of narrow lugs 40, which rest upon and are bolted, by means of countersunk bolts 42, to the brackets 28. The motor is thus connected to and built into the framework of the crushing machine.

The rotor shaft comprises an outer hollow member 33, carrying the rotor core 44, and an inner hollow shaft member 45 with intermediate bushings 38 and 56. The shaft members 42 and 45 are interconnected by keys 54. A lower shaft member has a flange 58, which is tightly secured to the shaft members i2 and 46. The shaft members d2, 46, 5b are journalled on an upper roller bearing ti) and a lower roller bearing 62, axial thrusts being taken up by a conical roller bearing 64, which together with the bearing 62 is carried by the bushing 26).

A crusher shaft 66 rests in radial roller bearings es, lo and an axial thrust roller bearing '12, said bearings being all carried by the rotor shaft members 42, 46, 55. The thrust bearing 12 is kept in position by a ring member 74, which is threaded into the shaft member 46, so that the thrust is transferred through said member and a distance plate 15 to the shaft member 56, end thrust bearing 54, bushing 29, lower bearing endshield l6, stator housing 52, lug ring i8, lugs to, brackets 28 and to crusher frame 36.

The crusher shaft 65 may have its axis extending obliquely to the axis of the rotor, the bearings 68, it, l2 being for that purpose disposed excentrically to said axis. Fixed on the crusher shaft 66 is a crusher head 18 having a conical crushing member suitably of manganese steel. The inner member so is kept in place by a holding ring 82, which is threaded upon the crusher head 18. cured by a top nut 84 which shaftiit. The top nut 84 carries a feeding plate 86, upon which the material to be crushed is fed through feeding cylinder 88, whereupon it is evenly distributed to fall into the crusher. The position of the feeding cylinder 88 may be changed by means of adjusting bolts 30 fixed on a hopper 92 in order to accommodate the feed to the crusher.

The ring 32 is seis threaded on the The bearing 68 is lubricated with grease, which is supplied through either a channel 94, extending from the upper end of the shaft 56 or a radial channel 96 in the shaft member 48. A channel 98 extends radially to the bearing 6% for supplying grease to the same. The channels 55 and 98, which normally are closed by screws ace and 132, respectively, are accessible after removing a plug Hi l in the crusher frame 39. Labyrinth packings we, 38 and Ho, which contain grease, serve to protect the roller bearings 53 and 58 from dirt, grit and water. In addition to the packing lib, fibre rings Iii are provided between the rotating member of the packing and the stationary top member H4 of the motor housing for counteracting leakage of grease into the motor.

The roller bearings it, '52, 52 and S lare lubricated with oil through a channel H 3 extending from the upper end of the shaft down to the interior of the shaft member at. Therefrom the oil continues through channels H8, i25 in the shaft members 43, 5% to the interior of the bushing 23, which has a channel E22 opening at the lower side thereof and normally closed by a plug I24.

The crusher frame as has an inner liner 12% for protecting it against the crushed stone fall ing through the annular space 32. The area of said space is only slightly reduced by the projecting brackets 28 and the lugs 45 resting thereupon. The lugs 38 are protected from falling stone by U-shaped manganese steel covers 128, loosely fitted over the lugs.

Integral with circular frame 38 is a hexagonal bottom plate iSls, provided with holes 232 for foundation bolts. Upon the bottom. plate are by means of cotter pins I34 fixed columns 13%, on which nuts 552 are threaded for carrying an adjusting ring 138. The upper end of the columns use are threaded into lugs i392 in a cylinder block Hill and secure-d thereto by nuts Hi l.

An outer crushing member 145 of manganese steel, surrounding the member 36 in a spaced relation, is fitted into a bowl M8 and held in place by vertically extending ened lower portion 252 forming a support for the member his. The upper part of the bowl Hi8 has wearing liners H54 and 356. A bowl ring I58 is secured to the bowl 148 by means of bolts Upon the bowl ring IE8 is fixed a pressure ring M52. The ring 53 rests on a tapered surface it of the adjusting ring I38.

Small clearances H58, 59 are left between the lower ends of the bowl Hi8 and of the ring 153 and the crusher frame 36 with its liner 926, which extends upwardly between said ends, so that the bowl and the ring are movable in vertical direction relatively to the frame 3t, escape of dust between said members being at the same time reduced to a minimum.

The cylinder block Mil has a plurality of circumferentially distributed cylinders m with vertical axis, in which are provided pistons H2 con-- nected to rods I'M. The lower ends of the rods are by bolts '55 and wedges H8 loosely fixed to the ring I62. On the upper face of the piston H2 is a sleeve packing i830 arranged in known manner.

A conduit W2, connected to a source of compressed air (not shown), is through a branch conduit ltd, in which is provided a three-way valve :35 and an annular channel :83 in the cylinder block MB, in communication with the lower part of the cylinders lit. Another branch conduit bolts 858 having a widlet.

I98 of the conduit {82, which has a pressure reducing valve 52 and a three-way valve W3, supplies the compressed air through an annular channel I95 to the upper part of the cylinders fi l. For aiding the pressure reducing valve N12 to keep down the pressure, there may be provided a small valve 198, where a very small amount of air may be allowed to leak out. The consumption of compressed air is, however, insignificant.

When the crusher is working, compressed air is admitted to the spaces of the cylinders Ht over the pistons I12, the air pressure being reduced by means of the valve E92 so that the pressure acting on the pistons H2 and transmitted through the rods i'M, pressure ring 1&2, bowl ring !58, bowl I48 to outer crushing member 1:35 is just enough to overcome maximum pressure exerted by the worlr of the motor upon the stones between the two crushing members 86 and M5, but yields for excessive pressure, caused by overload or steel pieces in the feed. Thus, during normal crushing, the i-.teriors of the cylinders llfl above the pistons F52 are connected by the annular channel iilS to provide a unitary pneumatic system in which air under pressure is effective normally to hold the pistons down, and thus to hold the ring I53, against normal crushing stresses. When abnormal crushing stresses occur the ring I58 tilts or moves upwardly against this maintained pneumatic pressure, generally fulcruming on the adjusting ring 38 at a point diametrically opposite to the zone of excess crushing stress. The air content of the pneumatic system which includes the cylinders HQ and the connecting duct 565 is adequate to permit the relief of excess crushing stress by the movement of the bowl ring 158 without a high increase in the pressure exerted on the head 78, or on any other part of the crusher, by such system. It should be kept in mind that the piston movement in the individual cylinders may vary from practically zero in the cylinder or cylinders at the fulcrum point or zone to a predetermined maximum. In other words, the pneumatic capacity of the system, including the cylinders and the ducts, constitutes a pneumatic system of sufficient volume to prevent increase in pressure of detrimental or damaging magnitude from being exerted on the crushing parts by any required release movement of the bowl ring i523.

Surplus pressure on the upper areas of pistons 1'52, varying from about naught, when feed to the crusher is heavy, to maximum, when crusher is at a stand-still or running without any feed, is taken up by the adjusting ring i353, which rests on the adjusting nuts 152.

When the crusher is stopped on account of overload or steel pieces in the feed there remains a certain amount of material stuck between the two crushing members 3B and MS and the crusher cannot be restarted before this material is removed. For this purpose compressed air is ad mitted from the compressed air supply pipe 482 through the valve E35 and the channel 33 to the lower side of the pistons H2. The pistons and their rods 514 are, as described above, connected to the pressure ring H52, so that when sufiicicnt air pressure is attained the bowl Hi8 and the outer crushing member Hi3 are lifted and the obstructing matter between the crushing members escapes by falling down and out of the crusher.

For taking up wear on the crushing members 88 and M6 and for generally adjusting the position of the outer member itt the compressed air is admitted to the lower side of the pistons '52 answer-71 and let out. from the upper sidethereotso that the bowl ring I58 with affixed parts is lifted up and no pressure is exerted upon the adjusting The adjusting nuts M2 are then screwed into new positions, whereupon thecoznpressed air is readmitted through the valve I94 and let out through the valve 585. The outer crushing member N86 is then moved to the wanted new position, where it is firmly kept in place.

As will be seen from Fig. l the area of the pistons I12 exposed to the pressure of the compressed air is greater at the upper than at the lower faces of the pistons. The force acting in upward direction on the pistons I12 needs only to be suificient power is of no consequence. No air pressure reducer is therefore needed for the lower side of the pistons. There is also no need for elaborate sealing seconds, necessary the adjusting nuts one singlehanded man can accomplish that in a few minutes, with only a monkey-wrench for a tool.

The compressed air source may be a special,

said motor having a vertically extending shaft, r

block, a plurality of supports for mounting said cylinder block in vertically spaced relation above said frame, a vertically adjustable non-rotatable annular adjusting member located between said frame and said block, an outer crushing member carried by said adjusting member and surrounding said inner crushing member, abutment means for limiting the lowermost position of said adjusting member, a plurality of peripherally spaced vertically extending cylinders in said cylinder block, pistons in said cylinders operatively connected with said adjusting member, and means for selectively admitting compressed air to said cylinders above or below said pistons to yieldably hold said adjusting member against said abut-- ment means or to raise said adjusting member from the abutment means to move the outer crushing member vertically away from the inner crushing member.

2. A crushing machine comprising an annular stationary crusher frame, a vertically extending shaft mounted for rotation within said frame, an inner crushing member carried by said shaft, an

annular cylinder block, a plurality of peripherally spaced vertical supports for said cylinder block carried by said frame, means providing vertically adjustable abutments on said supports, an annular adjusting member, an outer crushing member carried by said adjusting member and surrounding the inner crushing member, said adjusting member having a portion in vertically sliding engagement with said frame and a portion extending radially therefrom to engage the abutmovement of said adjusting member, a plurality of vertically arranged peripherally spaced cylinders in said block, pistons in said cylinders operatively connected with said adjusting member and means for selectively admitting compressed air above or below said pistons to hold said adjusting member in yieldable pressure contact with said abutments or to raise the adjusting member therefrom to increase the vertical clearance between said crushing members.

3. A machine as set forth in claim 1 in which said supports comprise threaded bolts having adjustable nuts thereon providing said abutments and the portion of said adjusting member engaging said abutments is formed to engage said supports to prevent rotation of the adjusting memher.

4. A crushing machine comprising a generally annular stationary frame structure, a generally vertically extending shaft mounted for rotation within said frame structure, an inner crusher head carried by said shaft, a generally annular bowl structure carrying a bowl member surrounding and overlying said head, said bowl structure being mounted to move vertically relative to said frame structure, abutment means on said struccompressed elastic pressure fluid to said cylinde's to yieldably maintain said abutments in contact against normal crushing pressure tending to separate thebowl and the head or to lift said bowl structure away from said head to permit the crushing gap to be cleared.

within said frame structure, an inner crusher head carried by said shaft, a generally annular bowl structure carrying a bowl member surrounding and overlying said head, said bowl structure being mounted to move vertically relative to said frame structure, adjustable abutment means on said structures for determining the lowermost position of said bowl structure and the crushing gap between said head and said bowl, a plurality of cylinders arranged in peripherally spaced relation with respect to the axis of said structures, pistons in said cylinders, said cylinders being c0n nectedto one of said structures and said pistons being connected to the other of said structures, and means for selectively admitting compressed elastic pressure fluid to said cylinders to yieldably maintain said abutments in contact against normal crushing pressure tending to separate the bowl and the head or to lift said bowl structure relative to said frame structure and relieve said adjustable abutment means of the weight of said bowl structure to thereby facilitate adjustment of the abutment means.

6. A gyratory crusher comprising a frame structure, a crushing head mounted for gyratory rotation in a fixed path within said frame structure, a generally annular crushing bowl structure carried by said frame structure and located with respect to the head to provide a crushing ga between the head and the bowl, said bowl and said frame structures being mounted to have relative movement with respect to each other to provide relative movement toward and away from each other of said head and said bowl, abutment means on the respective structures located to engage to limit the relative movement toward each other of said bowl and said head, whereby to establish a predetermined normal crushing gap between the head and the bowl, a plurality of circumferentially distributed pressure elements, each of said elements comprising a cylinder member and a piston member with one of said members connected to the frame structure and the other of said members connected to the bowl structure, and means for selectively admitting compressed elastic pressure fluid to said cylinder members to one or the other of the sides of said piston members to hold said abutment means in engagement against the maximum force generated by normal crushing and tending to separate the head and the bowl, whereby to maintain said predetermined crushing gap during normal operation, or to move the head and the bowl away from each other to permit the crushing gap to be cleared.

7. A gyratory crusher comprising an annular mounted within crusher frame, driving means said frame, an inner gyratory crushing member driven by said driving means, an annular cylinder block, a plurality of supports for mounting said cylinder block in vertically spaced relation above said frame, a vertically adjustable non-rotatable annular adjusting member located between said frame and said block, an outer crushing member carried by said adjusting member and surrounding said inner crushing member, abutment means for limiting the lowermost position of said adjusting member, a plurality of peripherally spaced vertically extending cylinders in said cylinder block, pistons in said cylinders operatively connected with said adjusting member, and means providing a unitary pneumatic system comprising ducts connecting said cylinders for supplying compressed air thereto above said pistons, said pneumatic system operating to yieldably hold said adjusting member against said abutment means to maintain a selected normal crushing gap between said crushing members and to permit said adjusting member to yield in response to abnormal crushing conditions to increase said gap without detrimental increase in the pressure exerted on the crushing parts.

8. In a gyratory crusher and release therefor, a frame having a circumferential portion, a bowl supporting ring movably mounted thereon, a bowl normally fixed on the ring, a head mounted for gyration within said circumferential frame portion and bowl, abutment means for limiting the lowermost position of said ring to determine a selected normal crushing gap between the head and the bowl, and a drive for the head, and releasable means for normally holding said abutment means engaged to maintain said bowl supporting ring fixed in relation to said circumferential frame portion, including a plurality of pressure elements generally uniformly distributed about and connected to the circumferential frame portion and bowl supporting ring, each such pressure element including a piston connected to one and a cylinder connected to the other, the interiors of said cylinders being interconnected, in generally uniform pressure relationship, to a source of generally uniform air pressure to provide a unitary pneumatic system, the pistons in the cylinders being, during the normal operation of the crusher, positioned intermediate the ends of the cylinders, whereby to maintain said abutment means yieldably engaged during such operation due to elastic fluid pressure and to permit the ring and bowl to yield in response to abnormal crushing conditions without detrimental increase fluid pressure and the crushing parts.

9. A gyratory crusher comprising a frame structure, a crushing head mounted for gyratory rotation in a fixed path within said frame structure, a generally annular crushing bowl structure carried by said frame structure and located with respect to the head to provide a crushing gap between the head and the bowl, said bowl and said frame structures being mounted to have relative movement with respect to each other to provide relative movement toward and away from each other of said head and said bowl, abutment means on the respective structures located to engage to limit the relative movement toward each other of said bowl and said head, whereby to establish a predetermined normal crushing gap between the head and the bowl, a plurality of circumferentially distributed pressure elements, each of said elements comprising a cylinder member and a piston member with one of said members connected to the frame structure and the other of said members connected to the bowl structure, means for connecting said cylinder members to a source of elastic pressure fluid acting on said piston members to hold said abutment means in engagement against the maximum force generated by normal crushing and tending to separate the head and the bowl, whereby to maintain said predetermined crushing gap during normal operation, said elastic pressure fluid yielding in response to abnormal separating force without detrimental increase in the fluid pressure and the resultant loading force exerted thereby to permit said bowl to move away from said head against said loading force and means for releasing the pressure fluid from said cylinders to remove said loading force and permit said bowl to be moved comparatively freely further away from said head to clear the crushing gap.

References Gited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS in the elastic i the resultant force exerted on 

